When it’s hot outside, there’s nothing quite like settling down in the sun with a cool read. Right?

This was an unexpected find on a recent trip to the seaside village of Port Eynon, South Wales. In a shop filled with buckets, spades, sticks of rock and other beachy essentials, I spotted a chiller full of books tucked into the corner.

Don’t worry, this isn’t some niche DIY effort at environmental control, and you won’t need woolly gloves to handle the books. The chiller isn’t turned on. Instead, it houses a small community library where locals and tourists alike can trade beach reads for free.

I love coming across book swap spots on my travels, as they feel like a fun, fleeting point of connection with other readers – plus, it’s always interesting to see what books people choose to leave behind. I’ve found many community libraries in strange locations, but (un)refrigerated novels are a first for me!

Image by Caitlin Jenkins